Too far to fall: Exploring the relationship between playground equipment and paediatric upper limb fractures

Trampolines Versus Playgrounds - A Comparative Assessment of Pediatric Fractures Sustained From Recreational Play

INTRODUCTION

Using the Pediatric Health Information System, this study compared the relative severity of fractures sustained from trampolines with those from other playground equipment.

METHODS

Pediatric patients were identified in the Pediatric Health Information System with trampoline-related injuries (TRIs) or playground-related injuries (PRIs) diagnosed as fractures. Adjustments were made for hospital, year of injury, sex, age, race, median household income, and rurality through propensity score weighting. Four injury-related outcome measures were examined as a proxy for injury severity.

RESULTS

A total of 133,232 patients met inclusion criteria. In unadjusted univariate analyses, TRIs were associated with greater odds of severe fracture and lower odds of receiving surgical treatment (OR = 0.954) compared with PRIs. After adjustment, TRIs sustained in late childhood and adolescence were more likely to receive surgical management (OR = 1.092 and OR = 1.192, respectively) while TRIs sustained in younger children were less likely (OR = 0.607) than PRIs.

DISCUSSION

Youths in late childhood and adolescence are at increased odds of undergoing surgical management after trampoline fractures. Beyond underscoring the risks of trampoline play, our results highlight the importance of considering age in recreational injury epidemiology and the public health safety initiatives aimed at specific age groups.

Supracondylar humerus fractures in children caused by monkey bar-related injuries: a comparative study

We evaluated the functional and radiological outcomes of surgically treated supracondylar humerus fractures based on injury mechanisms, as well as the therapeutic and prognostic aspects of monkey bar-related injuries, in this study. Between December 2014 and December 2018, pediatric patients who had undergone surgical treatment for supracondylar humerus fractures were analyzed retrospectively. According to the mechanism of injury, patients were divided into two groups: monkey bar-related injuries and other injuries. Patients were evaluated functionally using the Mayo elbow performance score, while radiographically using the anterior humeral line, humero-capitellar angle, and Baumann angle. This study enrolled a total of 50 patients, 27 females and 23 males. Each patient was followed for a minimum of 24 months. There were no significant differences in age, sex or complications between the groups. The Mayo elbow performance score and fracture types were shown to be significantly associated with injury mechanisms ( P = 0.017, P < 0.001). Additionally, a significant correlation between the necessity for open reduction and the mechanism of injury was found ( P = 0.038). There were no significant differences in radiological evaluation between the groups. Supracondylar humerus fractures caused by falling from the monkey bar were more severe in children than supracondylar humerus fractures caused by other mechanisms of injury, and surgical treatment outcomes were worse for supracondylar humerus fractures caused by falling from the monkey bar.